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You don't try to talk him out of it, that's for sure, because the more you talk, the more you will get him to mentally reinforce his stance, I suspect.

Pray. That's first. Put it in Jesus' hands and he will lead you do the right step.

Some Prayers:

ALMIGHTY God, who by Your Son Jesus Christ gave to your holy Apostles
many excellent gifts, and charged them to feed your flock; give grace,
we ask you, to all Bishops, the pastors of your Church, that they may
diligently preach your Word, and duly administer godly discipline as
needed; and grant to the people, that they may obediently follow the
same; that all may receive the crown of everlasting glory; through the
same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for Bishops

St. Thomas of Canterbury, pray for our bishops,
St. Augustine, pray for our bishops,
St. Martin of Tours, pray for our bishops,
St. Charles Borromeo, pray for our bishops.

O Blessed Mother,
spread your mantle over these, the servants of your Son,
anointed and appointed to be our shepherds here on earth.
They are under such attack from the evil one,
and being human, they often slip and fall.
Pray for them, Blessed Mother,
that they will learn true contriteness of heart,
humility of soul,
and be filled with the burning desire to shepherd the flocks of Christians in their charge.

O Jesus, meek and humble of heart,
have mercy on us,
especially on those you have appointed to guide us,
and may your voice reach into their hearts
and kindle in them the fire of divine love,
this day, and always.

Amen.

Prayer for St. Charles Borromeo's Intercession:

O Holy Spirit, Saint Charles served as a bishop in a diocese that was
plagued by superstitions and other faulty religious practices, but he
resolved the problems by issuing wise rulings, instituting them with
kindness, and setting an example through his own holy life. He
accomplished the changes despite a severe speech impediment. He
learned that "we are all weak, but if we want help, the Lord God has
given us the means to find it easily."

I ask him to pray for the shortcomings and impediments in our lives,
int the lives of those called especially to your service, in the lives
of the clergy, the bishops, the religious, and all discerning your
call, so that they will not interfere with the work You, dear Lord,
have called us to do. Saint Charles, pray for us. Amen.

Prayer for Priests and Bishops

Taken from the Roman Missal -

O God, who hast appointed Thine only-begotten Son to be the eternal High Priest for the glory of Thy Majesty and the salvation of mankind; grant that they whom He hath chosen to be His ministers and the stewards of His mysteries, may be found faithful in the fulfillment of the ministry which they have received. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen

Litany for our bishops:

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ graciously hear us.
God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

You holy bishops, who shine like beacons, good shepherds all, we ask you to pray for our bishops.

St. Peter, pray for them
St. Damasus, pray for them
St. Gregory the Great, pray for them
St. Marcellus, pray for them
St. Eusebius, pray for them
St. Benedict, pray for them
St. Eutychianus, pray for them
St. Eugene, pray for them
St. Pius, pray for them
St. Leo, pray for them
St. Felix, pray for them
St. Sixtus, pray for them
St. Clement, pray for them
St. Urban, pray for them
St. Boniface, pray for them
All good and holy pontiffs, bishops of Rome, named here and not, who struggled hard to walk in the path that Christ sent you on, sometimes giving up your lives, pray our bishops today.

St. Januarius, pray for them
St. Ignatius of Antioch, pray for them
St. Babylas of Antioch, pray for them
St. Fabian, pray for them
St. Vigilius, pray for them
St. Blaise, pray for them
St. Stanislaus, pray for them
St. Hippolytus, pray for them
St. Felix of Nola, pray for them
St. Weigand, pray for them
St. Lambert, pray for them
St. Cyprian, pray for them
St. John Fisher, pray for them
St. Thomas Becket, pray for them
St. Polycarp, pray for them

All you holy bishops, named here and not, who gave up your lives for the glory of God, in living witness of God's truth, pray for our bishops today.

Saint Amandus, pray for them
Saint Ludger, pray for them
St. Boniface, pray for them
St. Augustine of Canterbury, pray for them
Saint Palladius, pray for them
St. Patrick, pray for them
St. Martin of Tours, pray for them
St. Rupert, pray for them
St. Alphonsus Lugori, pray for them

All you holy bishops, eager missionaries to shed God's light on the lost, who staff in hand, spread the good news, named here and not, pray for our bishops.

St. John Chrysostom, pray for them
St. Basil, pray for them
St. Cyril, pray for them
St. Hilary, pray for them
St. Ambrose, pray for them
St. Athanasius, pray for them
St. Augustine of Hippo, pray for them
St. Gregory of Nazianzus, pray for them

All holy bishops, doctors and theologians of the church, named here and not, who set an example of the role of bishop as teacher and shepherd, pray for our bishops today.

Let us pray:

Our Father in Heaven, you have raised such a cloud of witnesses in the holy bishops who have stood by and proclaimed the good news of your Son. May their example and prayers strengthen all of the bishops today around the world who are touched with such awful temptations, and who stumble as they struggle beneath the weight of their office.

Strengthen them, O Lord.
Soften their hearts where they are hard.
Open their eyes to their secret sins so they may return to their first love and become the men you want them to be.
Refresh them with an new fervor for their role as shepherds.
Surround them with those who will help them for the glory of God and not the glory of self.
Make the nature of sin clear to them, and may they be fervent in their desire to share your healing touch with all their flock.
May they resist the desire to be liked by men, but hunger for your approval alone.

This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ your son and our savior, Amen.